How Boston Children’s Hospital Factored Into Nick Foligno Signing With Bruins

When a player signs with a team, you usually hear about them being able to play for their hometown or state, playing alongside a friend or just a team they envied as a kid.

Nick Foligno’s connection to Boston, though, goes beyond all that.

The Bruins signed the longtime Columbus Blue Jackets captain Wednesday to a two-year contract with a $3.8 million cap hit. Foligno expressed his excitement already to be part of the Bruins, but he mentioned one hospital in particular already connected him to the city.

“Obviously there’s a family element to it too with my daughter having her life saved at Boston’s Children’s, as well,” he said. “So we have a little connection there. It’s a pretty exciting time for our family.”

Foligno’s daughter, Milana, underwent life-saving surgery in 2018.

It’s likely he’ll find himself in a bottom-six role, but you never can have too much depth right?

“I just think it was the right fit. … you just have to follow your heart and your gut,” Foligno told TSN’s James Duthie shortly after the news broke. “And talking to Patrice (Bergeron) and Don Sweeney, it just felt like the place that I was gonna have the mot impact and be able to be the player and impact the team the way I wanted to.”

The signing was one of six moves announced by the Bruins on the first day of free agency.